The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-01
EUL0GIES BY THE BAR.
TRIBUTE TO THE LATE JUSTICE
WILLIAM B. WOODS.

|
Acceptance of the Resolutions-The
! Courts Adjourn for the Day.
The members of the Savannah bar met in
the United States Court room yesterday
morning to do honor to the memory of the
late Justice William B. Woods. Hon. Du-
| Pont Query, chairman of the committee
appointed to draft suitable resolutions,
stated that the committee was ready to
report, and the report was read by Capt.
Robert Falligant
Justice William B. Woods, of the
Supreme Court of the United States, died at
noon, May Il, 1887, at his residence in
| Washington. The first warning Of his
approaching fate was given in December
last, and the bar of this circuit, and more
particularly Of this city, followed with
earnest hope, yet mournful forbodngs, his
wanderings in search of health to the Pacific
slopH. The temporary promise of speedy
recovery soon vanished and his death
ensued soon after his return to the capital,
the scene of his later and more distinguished
| labors.
LIFELONG PUBLIC SERVICE.
''The life of the late Associate Justice was
marked by continued and honorable public
seINiCS- DOfn at newark, w., Aug. ID,
| 1924, he graduated at Yale College in 1915.
Rising rapidly in politics and at the bar, he
soon became the leader of the Democratic
side of the House of Representatives of his
| native State, and in the session of 1859
served with distinguished ability as leader
of the House. In the session of 1S60-61
he was the recognized leader of the Demo-
cratic minority, opposing with power and
eloquence the early measure of the Repub-
lican national administration until the
opening gun at Sumter fired the Northern
heart and fused all elements into the united
purpose of defending at all hazards the in
tegrity of the Union. Entering the army,
he participated with distinction in the vari-
GUS battles of the West, and ended his mill
tary career in command of division under
Gen. Sherman.
FROM THE v..Ic TO THE BENCH.
az the close of the war he settled in Ala
b1ma and rapidly resumed professional dis
tinctiof. In 1863 he was appointed by
President Grant, Circuit Judge of the Fifth
circuit, and he soon won the respect and
admiration Of the bar by his perspicuous and
commanding ability as a jurist, while he
endeared himself to them by his attractive
and genial manner in the relations of social
life. He discharged the duties of his high
office with tireless energy and industry, his
| sole purpose seeming to be the attainment
of what was just and right under the law
In the eventful period of his earlier judicial
career, obliged to grapple with and decide
questions of grave import, while he sustain
ed with iron will what he conceived to be
the rights of the general government, i'm
partial Judgment will do him the Justice to
admit that he rose grandly to the standard
OF Burke when he wrote In all mutations
df mutations must bel the circumstance
which will serve most to blunt the edge of
their mischief and to promote what good
may be in them is, that they should find us
with our minds tenacious of justice and the
tender of property
IN THE SUPREME COURT
SIN December, 1890, he was appointed by
President Hayes, Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court to fill the vacancy occa-
stoned by the resignation of Mr.. Justice
Strong, of Pennsylvania, and having won
the highest goal of an American lawyers
honorable ambition, adorned the lofty
station until the summons came. Therefore
be it
Resolved, That In the death of Justice William
B. Woods, the Supreme Court of the United
States has lost of its purest and ablest
Justices, the bench and bar of the country one
of the most conspicuous and distinguished orna-
ments of the legal profession, and the American
people 1urist, statesman and citizen whose
elevated patriotism aimed solely at the public
good.
Resolved, That we tender our profoundest
sympathies to the family of the deceased in
their irreparable loss.
ResolUed, That we request the court to order
these proceedings entered upon its minutes, and
to instruct the clerk to send an enrolled copy to
the family Of the deceased.
ResotUed, That we request that the court do
now adjourn in honor of the iliustrious dead.
The report was signed by Hon. DUPONT
Query, United States District Attorney
Gen. A. r. Lawton, Col. George A. Mercer,
Capt. Robert Falligant and Hon. P. w.
| 1riY, Tell 81,
ton of the report, and Gen. Lawton in
seconding the motion paid touching tribute
to the late Justice. He was followed by
Col. William Garrard
JUDGE SPEER's TRIBUTE.
The report was then handed to the court,
and in receiving it Judge Emory Speer said
The character of the great man of whose
memory we this day speak has added new
lustre and reverence to the names of the
illustrious tribunal of which he was men,
Der, and when the recollection of the man
shall be dimmed by the lapse of ages
the record of his judicial labors shall stand
enduring monuments of the legal annals of
our times Justice Woods has done his whole
duty to his country and to mankind A
counsellor Of distinction, soldier and gem
eral of courage and effectiveness, a jllrist
of clear and quick perception, broad COM
prehension, solid and reliable attachments.
| y
charged the lofty and varied duties of
American citizenship, and ne has left a
name which is a heritage to his family and
an honor to his country
TRUE, LOYAL FRIEND.
'He was true, loyal friend None more
prompt than he to fly to the aid of those
who were the subjects OF unmerited censue
or unjust detraction, and the phalanx of
Macedon was not more stauDch than was his
answering countenance to the right, and
his repellant efforts to wrong doing This
circuit, the country, and that august judi
cial body without its parallel on
earth, of which he was part,
have lost a just Judge, true patriot, an il
lustrious member. Peace to thy ashes, true
and generous friend and noble countryman
Perpetual be the loving memory Of thy life
without guile and without reproach, and
full of good deeds 90 thy fellow men,"
Judge Speer then said that the requests
contained i'll the resolution would be granted
by order of the court, and the court was adj
journed for the day